Bouncing Implies Happiness
by Mrs. Pepperwood
Summary: A family moment? She thought *this* is what family moments felt like? Just another intersect of the show. Set right after Tuesday Afternoon Fever.


Okie doke – This has been sitting around my computer for a week or so, and I just wanted to get it out. It's... fine. It's just another intersect of the show. Right after Derek and Casey won Dance Mania on Tuesday Afternoon Fever. Enjoy!

Disclamer: I own nothing – It makes me sad everyday.

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"Hey Sadia, call me!" Derek said as she was leaving, just to piss her off – signature cocky smirk strategically placed.

He was feeling pretty good about himself. He and Casey had just won Dance Mania. Derek was in a school he had never been in before; standing in the foyer, waiting for Casey. He was half sitting, half leaning on a battered, graffitied, out-of-commission air hockey table waiting for Casey to get out of the changing room. He stood leaning against the table with his arms stretched, drumming out made up rhythms with his fingers on either side of himself; dancing was probably not going to work out, maybe a music career was still in his grasps.

The 'professional' dancing thing was _really_ not his thing. Everyone was so uptight about it, and the amount of time put into practice – Pfft, he had _way_ better things to do. The goofy make-up Casey made him put on - Ick. The costume wasn't so bad, he could get used to the sparkle hoodie – Maybe even rock it.

When Casey came out she dropped her bag and immediately launched herself at him, both arms flinging around his neck. She was so grateful to him. So surprised that he had actually gone through with this, and then when they won. Oh god. It was as perfect.

"Whoa, whoa... Case..." Derek said as all of her weight pushed into him and the table. As usual, he went to push her away without a hug. He placed his hands just below her rib cage; careful not to touch her hips. Years of experience had taught him that in between those two bones was the... lesser... of the sexy areas to be touching someone of the opposite sex.

As he pushed on her torso he felt resistance on his neck.

"Why. Won't. You. Just. Hug me!?" With each word she hit his left shoulder blade with her right fist, and refused to let go. Three and a half years of frustration – of not being hugged by someone she'd slowly grown close to.

He sighed deeply and let his arms drop "Casey..."

"Derek this was my dream! I got to dance on television! Thousands of people got to see me dance! I won a prestigious competition... and I did it with you... So just hug me!" She said all this still clinging to him.

Slowly, he lifted his arms up but didn't wrap them around her right away; just thought about it. Thought about what it would be like to hug Casey McDonald. A real hug. He wanted to - Obviously he wanted to.

He could do this.

He could do it and it would be fine.

He would just do it, and then it would be over.

He just needed to man up.

Al right - going for it. Doing it - right now.

He loosely wrapped his arms around her. It was a lame huge. An awkward one that is given by children who don't know the recipient very well.

Casey was clearly not happy about it.

She started bouncing up and down... No, it was more like jumping - bouncing kind of implies happiness. Er... Hopping... Jerking? Whatever the word is... She was also whining like a toddler and unknowingly rubbing her body up against Derek's.

"Der-ek! That is a lame hug! No ones even around! Can't you just do it properly!?" She whined/screeched behind his shoulder/in his ear.

This particular motion was too much for Derek. He couldn't think. What was he going to do?

Casey was jumping up and down... Up against him!

She was killing him.

All of a sudden he tightened his arms around her waist. He had to make the bouncing/jumping/jerking – rubbing stop. His arms were like a vice grip and he was maybe squeezing slightly harder than necessary; but oddly enough, he felt Casey relax into him.

She sighed "There, see? Why can't we have feel good family moments like this more often?"

His eyes widened, and his whole body froze. A family moment? A _family_ moment? She thought _this_ is what family moments felt like? She was hugging him and feeling completely platonic feelings? He was hugging her and feeling completely... _Un_-Platonic feelings!

No – this is blasphemy! Casey may be his stepsister, and she may 'hate' him – but he knows she doesn't think of him as _family_.

"Casey..." he waited a beat "does _this,_ _feel_ like a _family_ moment to you?" He asked her in a slightly condescending voice. He couldn't let go of her.

He felt her jerk slightly to the left, as if she was moving her head away from his body to look at him; they were attached so tightly however, she couldn't come far enough back to look at him.

All of a sudden Casey became very aware of everything around her. She was no longer caught up in the thrill of their victory. Now it was the empty foyer, the sad looking table seemingly underneath her, and Derek.

His question ran through her mind like one of those cheesy light strips that loop.

She realized her cheek was softly brushing his neck. She then became very aware of her chest pressed up against his. How full and hard the upper part of his torso actually was. It surprised her. Her eyes widened as she became alarmingly aware of his knee and thigh; essentially, she was straddling his right leg. She could feel his arms wrapped around her – it was such a different sensation, really strong and powerful and not afraid to hurt her. She then became incredibly self conscious. A thousand thoughts bombarded her head all at once and after sifting through everything in her mind at lightning speed she came up with: damnit! hesright! thisisntafamilymomentatall! mybreastsfeelreallyhardagaisnthischest. ihopehedoesntthinktheyfeeltoohard. he'sismakingmywholebodytingle. whattimeisit? howlonghasitbeensinceibrushedmyteeth? iwanttogetclosertohim. heprobablywantstothrowmedownawell. ohmyogdiwanttokissmystep-brother. holyshiti'mgoingtohell.

Casey's face flushed 12 shades of red and she immediately released her arms from around her step-brothers neck and leaned back trying to get out of his grasp.

Derek looked at her and smirked. Good – she got it.

"What's that matter Case? Why wont you hug me?" He tossed the words back at her.

"Derek, let go." She said avoiding his eyes at all costs. He laughed at her a little bit.

"Not feeling like a family moment anymore Case?" He shifted his knee a centimetre higher, her eyes widened and snapped to him.

"Der-ek!" She smacked his chest with both of her hands "Let go!"

He laughed again and released her. She straightened herself out, crossed her arms, held her head high and refused to look at him. She picked up her bag and began to walk out the double doors of the school. Derek followed still chuckling.

"Admit it Case, _that_ wasn't a family moment."

"Shut up Derek!"


End file.
